What a difference a year makes. 365 days crash free!The days leading up to IMC were busy, with pre-race workouts, preparations,and trying to relax.Race morning started early, although there were people already heading totransition when I woke. Normal breakfast of toast w/ PB&J, and startedsipping on my bottle of Infinit as I headed down for body marking.
Started seeing other TTL athletes, was glad to see everyone was in great spirits; noone seemed too worked up. Did my last minute changes to transition bags, and put my Garmin in T1 bag.Got suited up and headed down to the beach. Didn't really have time for awarmup, just enough to get water down into my wetsuit. I planned to startfrom the left side, about the middle of the pack. At the start, walked outtill most people had gotten down to swimming, and worked to find my rhythmearly.The race plan that I had worked out with Angie was based around Patience.We set some conservative guidelines for HR on the bike, and pace for thefirst half of the run. With a day like this, it is so easy to get caught upand push too hard; I felt I needed reminders. I coached Jacob, when he wascheering, to shout "Patience, Daddy, patience!" I also wrote patience on myarm next to where my Garmin would sit. So when I'd look down to check speed I'd have a counterbalance to the urge to push harder.
Swim started well enough, I wasn't working very hard, and passing people ata steady pace. Halfway to the first turn, things turned ugly. Found myself in a tight pack and was getting knocked around a lot. Some guy's arm landedon my neck two strokes in a row, instead of adjusting he just forced meunderwater. I started struggling to get a good breath, started to panic abit, and had to pull up to regroup. Took me a few moments to find mygroove, and forge on. At about the second turn, noticed my gogs filling fartoo often, discovered that one of the straps had come undone. They werestaying put, but on each roll to breath the strap would hang down in mymouth. Just a distraction, tried not to let it bother me. Took a kick inthe eye right at the end of the swim.
Overall, the roughest swim I've beenthrough. Time: 1:04.
Grabbed my T1 bag and ran to the tent. As I ran out of the tent, I realizedI didn't have my Garmin, so I ran back. My bag had been cleaned up already,no garmin laying on the ground. Spent a few minutes trying to find my bag,finally realized I'd have go on without it. That was a hard time, I feltkind of alone, that the plan was shot already. Saw the TTL group around thefirst corner which provided some cheer. I had to come to terms with thechange in strategy, and focus on RPE to guide me efforts.The trip to Osoyoos felt really good. Was caught in a crowd up Macleancreek which kept my speed in check. Tried to avoid packs, sometimes wouldhold back, sometimes would surge ahead to pass. At Osoyoos, did a sanitycheck, did I go to hard? Richter felt good, a long slow grind. The crowdsthere were awesome. The decent off Richter was a screamer, I had enoughspace to feel comfortable about letting it all hang out. I actually enjoyedthe rollers: easy spin up, as the hill began to level out take a couple ofgears and hammer over the top to get up to speed quickly, and coast down thehill passing all the way. Rince and repeat as required.I also took note of the increasing headwind around there. I was starting toget uncomfortable, shoulders and neck getting sore. But the wind was moreincentive to stay aero onto the out'n'back. Grabbed my bottle on Infinitfrom special needs, stopped for another potty break, and forged on. Idecided not to push so much from there to Yellow Lake (Patience Daddy,patience), and not beat myself up about a slower pace on the incline. Got aflat where the road starts to get a little steeper. Never having had tochange a tubular before, I was a bit worried. Also realized I didn't haveany CO2, only cans of PitStop. I used one can trying to fix the tire, butthe valve stem wasn't long enough, so I pulled that tire off to install thespare. The second can wasn't enough to fill the tire, but just then thesupport car pulled up and filled me up, I was off.The weather had turned nasty by this point, rain and wind, I had been warmenough while I was moving but stopping with the flat had cooled me off. Iknew I just had the last climb and the decent left, so I wasn't worried toomuch about the cold. After a ten minute rest changing the tire, my legs hadlots of zip, I was able to cruise up Yellow Lake. Saw the TTL tent and ahigh five from JoZ, and I was at the top. The decent was dicey at times - Iwasn't confident in the tire or the wet brakes, but there wasn't muchtraffic in front of me so I could make my way down at my own pace.Took it easy riding back into town, saw Ang and the crew at the mall.
Pulled into T2, a quick change, and off on the run. Bike time: 6:18.
Saw my family on Lakeshore, "Patience Daddy, patience!" They had also snuck abaggy full of jellybeans and a note reminding me to have patience into my T2bag. My legs felt good, but heavier than I had experienced in my brickruns. The patience reminders were good, they helped me to not get worked upat going slow, at all the people who were passing me. Angie's descriptionof Richelle's execution last year rang through my head, patience daddy,patience. I think I ran pretty consistently on the way out to OK Falls.Walked the aid stations, ran the hills till they started to hurt, and walkedto the top. Nutrition was working really well. A couple of times I startedto feel full, I was able to back off the pace for a few minutes and thefeeling passed.Reached the turnaround, and sat for a few minutes with Hope while I changedsocks, and another baggy of jelly beans and another note - "Go Daddy, Go!". Hope asked if I had any messages to relay back to Angie, I didn't think ofit till after I left: I should have had her send "I'm a runner now, and I'mout of patience!"Again, a small rest seemed to reinvigorate me. It seemed like I was flying,over the hills and onto the flats; and as promised, the people that passedme on the way out all started to came back. I didn't know my pace, didn'tknow what the total time was at, but it didn't seem to matter that much. Saw all the TTL'ers still on the way out and they all looked great, smilesall around. Ran the last few k's into town with someone, we seemed a goodmatch - were able to push each other when we needed a little help. Comingup Main St. was a blast with the crowds cheering, still feeling strong,pushing a little harder each block - this was the payoff for a day ofpatience. Turned the corner onto Lakeshore; pushing a little harder. Sawthe family, saw the TTL crew at the turn, the last stretch was kind of ablur until the chute.
Run time: 4:31, with a 12 minute negative split. I've never had a race gothis well, to feel so positive throughout, and to finish feeling so strong.
Despite my equipment challenges, I can't imagine a better race, a better dayoverall. Most of my races to this point have always left me falling aparton the run. It was such a thrill to be able to maintain control throughout,and finish stronger that I imagined was possible.With that, my race schedule for the year is done. I owe so much to so many,my family for their support and encouragement, for putting up with the longtraining hours, and even for nagging me out the door sometimes. To Angiefor her advise, wisdom, and encouragement, and to the whole TTL team you'reall so motivating and encouraging. Thank you, everyone, for helping me exceed my goals.
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